Kwale bright, needy students benefit from US embassy learning plan

Bright and needy students from Kwale county are benefiting from a US Embassy-funded project. 

The students are sponsored to undergo training under the English Access Microscholarship Programme, where they are equipped with English language skills to boost their learning capacity, improve performance, and nurture leadership talents.

The programme targets high school students coming from  poor backgrounds.

According to the Samba Sports Youth Agenda partnership advisor Mohammed Ali Mwachausa, the programme was launched in 2020 in Kwale schools.

He said already over 42 students from Kombani and Ng'ombeni secondary have benefited.

"The programme was started two years ago intending to improve English language knowledge, ICT studies and empowering students, " he said.

They chose the two schools because they have a big number of learners coming from vulnerable communities and many students had poor KCPE exam grades. 

Mwachausa said the schools are equipped with learning materials, computers and libraries to enhance students' learning and research activities.

He said the programme also seeks to provide scholarship opportunities to the best-performing students.

He spoke on Friday during the graduation ceremony of the first group of students sponsored under the English Access Microscholarship programme at Kombani grounds in Matuga subcounty.

Mwachausa said the sponsorship will be extended to students who will score good grades in the KCSE exams.

"After graduating they will now become alumni of US embassy sponsorship programme of which if they post excellent results in their national examinations they get another opportunity to learn in America." 

He said the alumni will be used as ambassadors to motivate and empower other students in furthering their education.

Mwachausa said the new recruitment for the second phase of the programme will commence in September but will be rolled out in Mombasa.

The officer said the programme is also targeted to expose students to various community development activities and environmental conservation.

He said the students are engaged in tree planting, beach and market cleaning to help nurture their leadership skills and talents.

Mwachausa said since the inception of the programme students' performance has improved.

He said many have taken leadership roles in schools and speak fluent English compared to before.

Many students in the region perform poorly because of a lack of sufficient understanding of the English language.

He said the students are posting good results contrary to their high school entry marks.

Mwachausa said the programme has inspired majority of the students to take leadership roles in schools and record improved discipline.

Ng'ombeni secondary schools Access teacher Jane Kimani said the students were selected through a vigorous process.

She said the students have been taken through different sessions on reading and oral skills.

Kimani said the children are taught community service, personal development skills and learning different cultures of US for exposure purposes.

She said the programme has been a success and more students are changing lives.

A parent Saidi Mohammed lauded the programme saying it has  transformed their children's behaviour.

He said cases of drug abuse and indiscipline have gone done.

Mohammed said the children have become good public speakers and ambassadors in community development.

Student Bemeri Baya from Kombani secondary said the English Access programme has strengthened his communication, writing and learning skills.

Baya said he has achieved a lot academically and other students are learning from them.

"This programme is not for individual benefit because it has assisted many students to improve in their studies," he said.